GAME 27
Saint Louis (12-16, 6-9) vs. Duquesne (16-10, 7-8)
Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025 | 2:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh, Pa. | UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (3,500)

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NOTHING BUT NYLON
-The Duquesne women's basketball team returns to UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse when it celebrates Senior Day by hosting Saint Louis on Saturday, Feb. 22, with the opening tip scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

- Despite three chances in the closing seconds, the Dukes dropped a 56-53 decision at Fordham on Wednesday night inside Rose Hill Gym. Two players finished in double figures, led by senior Megan McConnell and graduate student Gabby Hutcherson.

- McConnell registered her sixth double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points and 12 rebounds. The senior guard dished our four dimes while collecting three steals and going a perfect six-of-six from the charity stripe. The senior guard netted nine of her 17 in the second half, going four-of-four from the line while totaling nine rebounds in the final 20 minutes.

- Hutcherson tallied 13 points and four rebounds while connecting on three triples and carding a block for the Dukes. Andjela Matic finished with six points and four rebounds while Faith Walker ended with five points and two rebounds on Wednesday. As a team, Duquesne netted 22 points off 21 Fordham turnovers while collecting seven steals. Fordham held a 43-37 rebound advantage while scoring 28 points in the paint.

- Entering the fourth quarter tied at 41, the Rams surged ahead with a 6-2 run, claiming a 47-43 lead with just over seven minutes to play. Graduate student Gabby Hutcherson halted the momentum with a three-pointer, followed by senior Megan McConnell's right-wing triple to put the Dukes up 49-47 at the 5:39 mark.

- Duquesne held a slim 51-50 edge before Camila De Pool's layup swung the lead back to Fordham with under three and a half minutes remaining. After a series of empty possessions, McConnell sank two clutch free throws to put the Dukes back in front.

- However, a pull-up jumper from Chaé Harris quickly reclaimed the lead for the Rams (54-53) with a minute left. Following a scoreless trip for Duquesne, Irene Murua knocked down both free throws, extending Fordham's lead to three with 17 seconds to play. The Dukes had three chances to tie it in the closing moments but unfortunately couldn't convert.

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The Series vs. Saint Louis – Come Saturday afternoon, it'll be the just the 23^rd meeting between the Billikens and Dukes. Duquesne holds a 15-7 lead in the all-time series and has won the last three contests, including an 82-65 win at Saint Louis last season. It was a balanced scoring effort from the Dukes, as five players finished in double figures for the third time this season. Naelle Bernard led the way with 13 points and three triples. She collected a season-high eight rebounds while tallying a block and a steal. Tess Myers, Ayanna Townsend, and Precious Johnson all finished with 12 points each while Myers went 4-of-8 from the deep and corralled six rebounds. Townsend registered six rebounds and two steals while Johnson went 4-of-4 from the field and 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. Megan McConnell was the final Duke in double digits, posting 10 points, five rebounds, and three steals during the win. Lauren Wasylson chipped in nine points, with a pair of triples while Amaya Hamilton tallied eight points, five boards, five assists, and a block. Duquesne showed its dominance inside, registering 44 points in the paint while collecting 22 points off 15 Billikens turnovers.

Scouting The Billikens – Saint Louis enters Saturday with a 12-16 overall record and a 6-9 mark in league play, coming off a 72-63 victory over Dayton on Wednesday night. The Billikens had four players score in double figures, led by Brooklyn Gray with 15 points, followed by Shun'teria Anumele with 14, Tierra Simon with 13, and Kennedy Calhoun with 11. Calhoun also contributed across the board with seven rebounds, three assists, and four steals. On the season, Saint Louis features three players averaging double figures, with Gray leading the way at 11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Peyton Kennedy follows closely with 11.0 points and 3.5 rebounds while boasting an impressive 93.6 percent free-throw shooting percentage. Calhoun rounds out the trio, averaging 10.3 points, 4.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.3 steals per game, ranking second in the league in steals. Additionally, she leads the conference in minutes played, averaging 36.4 per game.

Fordham Remains - It was a slow start for both squads, with a combined 2-of-9 shooting from the field and a 4-4 tie at the first media timeout. Fordham edged ahead 10-9 before freshman Faith Walker's three-pointer ignited a 7-0 Duquesne run. Senior Megan McConnell added a layup, followed by junior Jerni Kiaku's finish at the rim to push the Dukes ahead 16-10. Fordham responded with back-to-back baskets, cutting the deficit to 16-14 after the first quarter. The Rams carried their momentum into the second, scoring six of the first nine points to claim their first lead, 20-19. Duquesne answered with a 7-0 surge, beginning with a three-pointer from junior Andjela Matic. After forcing a turnover, sophomore Raymi Coueta drained a corner jumper, and senior Kiandra Browne capped the run with a mid-range shot from the foul line. The teams then exchanged the final 10 points of the half, with the Dukes maintaining a 31-26 advantage at the break.

Senior Celebration - Before facing the Billikens, the Duquesne women's basketball team will hold a special pregame ceremony to honor four seniors and five dedicated managers and practice players. The Dukes will recognize seniors Megan McConnell, Gabby Hutcherson, Kiandra Browne, and Kaitlyn Ammons, along with Alex Krause, Trevor Myers, Harley Cheatham, Andrew Ammerman, and Joe Dipaolo for their contributions to the program.

Let It Fly – Duquesne remains one of the nation's top three-point shooting teams, showing no hesitation in firing from beyond the arc. The Dukes lead the conference and rank fifth in NCAA Division I, averaging 10.1 three-pointers per game. They have recorded 14 games with double-digit threes, boasting an impressive 12-2 record when hitting 10 or more. Earlier this season, Duquesne put on a shooting clinic, sinking 19 three-pointers in a dominant 97-55 win over George Washington. They have also drained 13 threes in six different games. Freshman Mackenzie Blackford leads the team in three-point efficiency, shooting 36.7 percent from deep while averaging 2.04 made threes per game—both ranking seventh in the conference. Her 51 total three-pointers are the most among all Atlantic 10 freshmen. Senior Megan McConnell paces the team with 53 triples, while junior Andjela Matic and graduate student Gabby Hutcherson have contributed 34 and 30 long-range shots, respectively.

One Last Bow – Before tip-off on Saturday, the Dukes will honor four seniors for their dedication to the program: Megan McConnell, Gabby Hutcherson, Kiandra Browne, and Kaitlyn Ammons. McConnell enters the game with an impressive resume, having played in 136 career games with 126 starts—both ranking second in program history. She has amassed 1,644 career points, placing her fifth on Duquesne's all-time scoring list, while also ranking second in rebounds (1,022), assists (620), and steals (338). Hutcherson has made a significant impact, scoring over 550 career points and collecting more than 350 rebounds over five years. A defensive force, she has tallied 84 career blocks, including a personal-best 29 in her first year with the Dukes. This season, she has also set career highs in three-pointers (23), rebounds (89), total points (155), and assists (36). Browne brings veteran experience, having played in over 108 games with 35 starts during her five-year career. She has recorded more than 350 career points and 260 rebounds while proving to be a defensive anchor, taking a team-high 27 charges this season. Offensively, she has hit a career-best 33 three-pointers this year. Despite suffering a season-ending injury, Ammons has been a reliable presence for the Dukes, shooting 40.0% from the field in her two years with the program while also knocking down 11 three-pointers.

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